Golf register



M. J. BEACH GOLF REGISTER Jan. 23, 1934.

Original Filed Nov. 13, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS Jan. 23, 1934.J. BEACH 1,944,629

GOLF REGISTER Original Filed Nov. 13, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYSPatented Jan. 23, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application November13, 1929, Serial No. 406,784 Renewed June 2,1933

2 Claims.

The present invention pertains to a novel golf register designed formechanical counting of the strokes taken in a game of golf.

The principal object of the invention is to eliminate the errorsincident to the usual method of relying on memory for the strokes takenon each hole and then mentally adding the hole scores to determine thetotal score. The counting device herein described has the generalappearance of a watch so that it may conveniently be carried in thepocket of the player. This device includes a stem similar to a watchstem, which is pressed inwardly for each stroke.

A part of the device is manually rotatable and carries a series ofcounting dials, preferably nine in number, corresponding to the holes ofa small golf course. Two such devices are preferably provided, one oneach side, to provide for eighteen holes. The several dials areseparately and successively operable by the stem, and only one dial at atime may be operated. After each hole the rotatable part is shifted tobring the next dial into operative position with respect to the stem.Each dial, after being shifted out of operative position, stillmaintains the score registered thereon, and such score is visiblethrough a main dial which covers the several dials previously mentioned.The main dial shows the total score at all times and has associatedtherewith a pointer which also is operable by the stem. The movements ofthis pointer are cumulative regardless of the shifting of the dial unitsfor the respective holes, whereby it becomes unnecessary to add thescores for the holes, but these scores however are retained forreference purposes.

The invention is fully disclosed by way of example in the followingdescription and in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is alongitudinal section of the device taken at right angles to the axis ofrotation;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section at right angles to Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Figure 2;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the pawl carriers;

Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken in a plane parallel to that shown inFigure 1;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Figure 7;

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Figure 2; and

Figs. and 11 are detail perspective views.

Reference to these views will now be made by use of like characterswhich are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

The device is enclosed principally in a cylindrical case 1 formed with aperipheral enlargement 2 and a neck 3 constituting the top of the 9device. In the neck 3 is mounted a ring 4 as in the usual pocket watch.

The structure housed within the case 1 is of a twin or double unitcharacter, and inasmuch as both units are alike, 2. description of onlyone of them will sufiice. Each unit includes a main dial 5 having anannular wall 6 fitted into one of the open sides of the case 1. Betweenthe wall and the case is inserted a spring ring '7 permitting manualrotation of the frame and at the same time exerting sufiicient frictionon the frame and the case to prevent unintended slipping or turning. Thedial is covered by a crystal or glas 8 suitably attached to the frame.

The dial 5 is graduated at 9 and moreover is formed with a circularseries of apertures or sight holes 10 equal in number to the holescomprised in a small golf course, namely nine. Adjacent each such holeis a shaft 11 having one end fixedly secured in the dial as shown moreclearly in Figure 2. On the shaft is rotatably mounted a compound memberconsisting of a pinion 12, cam 13, and a secondary dial or indicator 14formed as a unitary member. The dial 14 passes the correspondingaperture 10, so that the numerals depicted on the dial are successivelydisplayed through the aperture as the dial is turned by the means whichwill presently be described.

Within the case 1 is fixed a carrier plate 15 provided for the supportof various other parts of the device. This plate has a circular seriesof openings 16 to accommodate the shafts 11 and associated partsextending therethrough. Within the plate is concentrically mounted aspider 1'7 having a series of radial arms 18 as shown more clearly inFigure 1. Between the arms are pivotally mounted detent members 19 heldin engagement with the pinions 12 by means of flat springs 20 which bearagainst the fixed arms. The spider in turn receives a concentric hub orfiller member 21, and on this member is mounted a zeroizing wheel 22which is partly in surface contact with the plate 15. The members 17, 21and 22 are bound together by screws 23. Into the hub member 21 is fitteda thin metal annular member 24 of angular cross section and having anarm or shield 25 (Figures 7 and 8) extending radially therefrom for apurpose which will presently appear. In the center of this member isinserted still another hub 26, and to the rear or inner face of the hubis secured a large gear 27 by means of screws 28.

A shaft 30 has one end received in the hub 26 and the other end passedthrough an aperture 31 in the dial 5. The shaft carries a pointer 32exposed at the face of the dial to cooperate with the graduations 9thereon. The end of the shaft 30 within the hub 26 carries a head 33 insurface engagement with part of the hub and held in such engagement bymeans of a spring 34, whereby a friction drive between the hub 26 andthe shaft is established. This friction drive however permits resettingof the pointer 32 whenever necessary. That is, relative movement betweenthe shaft 30 and the hub 26.

A square stem 35 is passed through the neck 3 and has a cap 36 fixed onits upper end. Be tween the cap and the top of the neck, the stem issurrounded by a spring 3'7 which normally tends to raise the stem. Thelower portion of the stem is surrounded by a sleeve 38, the upper end ofwhich is adapted to engage an inward ledge 39 (Fig. 2) formed integralwith the stem. The upper end of the sleeve is formed with a groove 40which receives the end of a guide screw 41 carried by the neck. Thisstructure maintains the sleeve 38 in the position shown in Figure 2 andfurther permits turning thereof when the square shaft 35 is turned bymeans of the cap 36. The sleeve has an enlarged lower end 42 in which isformed a slot or notch 43 (Fig. 10) for a purpose which will presentlybe described.

A carrier member 44 for each unit is mounted in the upper part of thecase and is formed with a semi-cylindrical neck 45 engaging half theperiphery of the sleeve 38. At the base of the neck is an enlargement orshoulder 46 with a groove 47 (Fig. 5). For each unit, the wall of thecase carries a stud 48 on which is wound a spring 48 having one end 50received in the groove and the other end 51 bearing against the case.The spring tends to hold the carrier in a down positien.

The shoulder 46 has a cavity 52 in which is provideda lug 53, thevertical surface of which is tangential to the concave wall of the neck45 as shown more clearly in Figure 6. In one position of the carrier,the lug 53 is adapted to rest upon the enlargement 42 of the stem 38, asillustruted at the righthand side of Figure 2.

To the carrier member 44 is fixed one end of a spring 55, the other endof which is free and has a pawl 56 pivoted thereto. The swinging end ofthe pawl is guided by a button 57 on the carrier. The carrier furthersupports a pinion 58 meshing with the large gear 27 and with theuppermost pinion 12 of the series, as shown more clearly in Figure 2.The pawl is normally in engagement with the pinion which in turn isretained against reverse motion by a detent 59. The carrior 44, whichhas an arcuate lower edge, rests upon certain members of a circularseries of spaced lugs 60 extending from the carrier plate 15, around thegear 27.

At the lower end of the square stem 35 is a foot 61 receivable in anotch 62 formed in the carrier 44 beneath the lug 53. The foot isreceivable in this position in only one of the cartiers at a time, theunit associated with such carrier being at this time operative, whilethe other carrier is raised to an idle position upon the shoulder 42 bymeans which will presently appear, as illustrated at the righthand sideof Figure 2. The foot 61 is therefore operative upon the pawl 56 of thelefthand unit. Depression of the stem causes rotation of the pinion 58through the medium of the pawl, resulting in a turning movement of thelarge gear 27 and the uppermost pinion 12 on their respective axes. Thelarge gear turns counterclockwise as viewed in Figure 1 and clockwise asviewed in Figure 9. The heel of the stem is formed with a notch 61 toprevent the sliding movement of the stem from being in terrupted by themember 44 of the idle unit.

Each time a stroke is made in a game of golf, the stem 35 is depressedand the secondary dial 14 associated with the pinion 12 in mesh with thepinion 58 is advanced one unit. The meshing of the pinions is maintainedby a lug 63 formed on the lower edge of the carrier 44 and receivedbetween two adjacent lugs 60. After each hole, the stem 35 is pulledout, and the foot 61 thereof raises the holder 44 to such an extent thatthe lug 63 is pulled out of the above mentioned space. In this movement,the holder is guided by lugs 64 projecting from the side walls of theenlargement 2 into engagement with the ends of the shoulder 46 asclearly shown in Figure 5. The dial 5 of the unit in use is now manuallyturned clockwise with respect to Figure 1. After a short movement, thestem 35 may be released to allow the lug 63 to rest upon the lug 60which comes beneath it. The turning movement is continued in the samedirection until the last named lug 60 passes out of contact with the lug63 and the latter drops into the next space between adjacent lugs 60.Another of the pinions 12 is thus brought into mesh with the pinion 58,and the score for the next hole is registered in the manner alreadydescribed. This operation is repeated for each of the nine holes. It isobserved that the movement of the large gear 2''! by the pinion 58 iscumulative, so that the pointer 32 indicates the total score. As theseveral pinions 12 are successively brought into engagement with thepinion 58, the large gear and pointer move together but not relatively,since both turn with the carrier plate 15, so that the total scoreindicated on the dial 5 is not disturbed.

As shown in Figure 1, an additional lug or recess 65 is included in theseries of lugs 60 projecting from the plate 15. This member however isnot exactly concentric with the other lugs and has its trailing end 66dropped inwardly towards the center of rotation. After the ninth hole,the holder 44 is raised as described and the dial turned slightly inclockwise direction with respect to Figure 1, after which the carrier 44is released so that the lug 63 thereof drops upon the leading or higherend of the lug 65. On continued turning of the dial, the lower edge ofthe lug 63 descends into a position within the circle formed by the lugs60.

The spider 1'7 has a radial arm 67 at the outer end of which is a finger68 disposed at such distance from the center of the spider as to engageone of the lugs 63 on continued turning of the dial and while the lugrests on the lower end of the member 66. Still further movement of thedial moves the pinions 12 out of engagement with their respective pawls19, since the pawl-carrying spider is retarded by the engagement betweenthe members 68 and 63. One of the lugs 66 of the series 60 is of shorterlength than the others to permit ample relative movement between theplate 15 and the spider 1'7, for a purpose which will presently appear.

The zeroizing wheel 22 shown more clearly in Figure 7, has a series offingers 70 positioned to cooperate simultaneously with the cams 13associated with the pinions 12 on the shafts 11. The wheel 22 is alsoheld by the engagement between the lugs 68 and 63, since this wheel issecured to the spider 1'7 by the screws 28. The turning of the dial 5after engagement of these lugs (clockwise in Figure '7) causes the cams13 to ride over the ends of the fingers '70. The fingers '70 are sorelated to the cams, that, in this movement, the lower points of thecams are caused to ride over the ends of the fingers, the cams and theshafts 11 are thereby turned, and the relation of parts is such thateach secondary dial 14 is returned to zero when the lower part of thecorresponding cam rides over a finger 70. During this motion, however,the total score registered by the pointer 32 is undisturbed, but thepointer may be returned to zero at this time or after nine more holeshave been registered on the unit which has previously been idle. Thezeroizing of the pointer 32 will now be described.

The zeroizing wheel 2 has an arm or extension '75 (Figure 7), carrying astud 76. A lever 77 is laid upon the arm and has a slot 78 receiving thestud '76 to permit a pivotal and slight sliding movement of the lever77. The upper end of the lever '77 is pivotally held by a pin '79fastened in the carrier plate 15 as shown in Figure 8. The arm 25 of thethin annular member 24 is fastened to the plate 15 by a screw 80surrounded by a spacer 81. The arm '75 carries a stud 82 and a similarmember 83 is carried by the plate 15. A wire spring 84 is wound on astud 85 mounted on the plate 15 and has its ends engaging the members 82and 83. This spring induces relative movement between the carrier plate15 and the zeroising wheel 22 or spider 1'7 fixed thereto, wherebynormally to hold the pawls 19 in engagement with the pinions 12. Whilethe members 17 and 22 are held and the plate 15 turned counter-clockwisewith respect to Figure 7 as above described, the lever 77 is turned onthe stud '76 as a pivot, and the lower end 86 of the lever is swunginwardly towards the shaft 30. The hub 21 is notched at 87 and theannular member 24 is slotted at 88 (Fig. 2) to permit this movement. Theshaft 30 carries a cam 89 which is thus engaged by the end 86 and turneduntil the end rides over the low point of the cam. The cam is so relatedto the shaft 30, pointer 32 and dial 9 that this movement returns thepointer to zero on the dial.

In order to bring the dial unit into operation, the stem 35 is raised,carrying with it the previously active member 44 by engagement of thefoot 61 beneath the lug 53. The stem is now turned through an arc of180, and the foot 61 moves out of the cavity 52. The shoulder 42 of thesleeve 38 which turns with the square stem is thus brought beneath thelug 53 of the previously active member 44 to hold it in raised or idleposition,

while the slot 43 of the sleeve 38 is brought beneath the lug 53 of thepreviously idle member 44, permitting this member to drop into activeposition. The foot 61, having been turned through an angle of 180 is nowdirectly over the pawl 56 of the previously idle unit and in positionfor operation thereon in the manner described. The separate scores forthe holes are registered in the manner indicated.

It will be seen that, prior to zeroizing the secondary dials 14, thescores for all holes played are separately visible through the sightopenings 10, while the total appears on the dial 5. By merely pressingthe cap 36 after each stroke, the player avoids the need of mentallyrecording the strokes of each hole and finally adding the scores for theseveral holes. The well known errors resulting from the usual mentalmethod are thus entirely eliminated by a mechanical device whichcorrectly indicates any hole score and the total score at all times.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, it will be understood that various alterations in the detailsof construction may be made without departing from the scope of theinvention, as indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A counting and scoring device comprising a case, a rotary dial framemounted therein, an apertured sight plate carried by said frame, acircular series of dial shafts mounted in said frame, dials and pinionsmounted on said shafts and behind said plate, a stem slidably mounted insaid case, a carrier member mounted in said case beneath said stem, anoperating pinion and driving pawl carried by said member, said operatingpinion being adapted to mesh with a selected one of said first namedpinions, said stem being adapted to operate said driving pawl.

2. A counting and scoring device comprising a case, a rotary dial framemounted therein, an apertured sight plate carried by said frame, acircular series of dial shafts mounted in said frame, dials and pinionsmounted on said shafts and behind said plate, a stem slidably mounted insaid case, a carrier member mounted in said case beneath said stem, anoperating pinion and driving pawl carried by said member, said operatingpinion being adapted to mesh with a selected one of said first namedpinions, said stem being adapted to operate said driving pawl, a carrierplate mounted in said case to rotate with said dial frame, a circularseries of spaced lugs formed on said plate, and a lug extending fromsaid carrier member and adapted for reception selectively in the spacesbetween said lugs, whereby to bring said pinions selectively in meshwith said operating pinion.

MORGAN J. BEACH.

